Stand
by TealEyed-Quatre
Summary: Sequel to You Were Mine, read that first. Songfic/Oneshot. Hiei's side of the story. Warnings enclosed.


A/N: THIS IS NOT PLAGIARISM, IT HAS BEEN MOVED.

This is the sequel to You Were Mine. I suggest that you read that before attempting this; you'd find it hard to understand otherwise. I apologize for the lateness of this publication—I have no excuse besides procrastination, and lots of it.

Warnings: yaoi; language; mpreg

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or "Stand" by Rascal Flatts. I DO own Aiko and Eienko.

HieixKurama

(_You feel like a candle in a hurricane)_

Hiei yanked weakly on the manacles encircling his wrists, holding him against the wall. He knew fro m painful experience that there was no point to his struggles, but he couldn't stop trying. He had to get free somehow.

His mate was alone with their kits in Ningenkai; alone and believing himself to have been abandoned. Hiei's very soul cried out in pain.

The fire that had previously run like magma through his demonic veins had dimmed. The cold stone floor around him was littered with hiruseki, their bright, glowing red centers a fiery color reminiscent of Kurama's hair.

_(Just like a picture with a broken frame)_

A few photographs of Hiei, Kurama, Aiko, and Eienko lay in the shattered remnants of their frames along the far wall. The bed, once richly decorated with green and black linens of the highest quality, was overturned in the center of the room. The wooden frame was in pieces, the mattress torn open and feathers from the pillows scattered across the entire chamber.

_(Alone and helpless, like you've lost your fight)_

Hiei, thankfully, was alone at the moment. He didn't know how much longer he could resist Mukuro. She had found a way to take control of the Jagan, turning its hypnotic powers against him.

It had immobilized him just long enough for Mukuro to wrestle him into the youki-draining manacles. Thus his current, weakened state.

She had declared her intentions for him in a fit of rage. Mukuro wanted him to mate her and rule by her side- which essentially meant being her errand boy and all-around enforcer. This was to be facilitated by the techniques she was using to control his Jagan. As it was an implant and not a natural part of his youkai form, it could be turned against him, though not without considerable effort.

_(But you'll be alright; you'll be alright)_

However, Hiei had a plan. It wasn't elaborate or fancy, but he thought that he could make it work. He waited until Mukuro returned to the room, carrying some kind of potion with careful hands. Hiei watched her warily, but she was focused on the potion and on drawing some kind of ritual circle on the bare stone floor.

_('Cause when push comes to shove, you taste what you're made of)_

He swallowed back a growl, not wanting to alert her, and hung limply from his restraints. It wasn't as difficult as it should have been to act exhausted; he needed to conserve as much energy as possible for the coming fight.

Mukuro had finished the circle and was now placing crudely-made candles along its border at specific intervals. A small bag of salt and bundles of herbs lay off to one side, waiting to be used in the ritual.

_(You might bend till you break, 'cause it's all you can take)_

Hiei watched as each candle was lit and the outside of the circle was lined with salt. Some of the herbs were ground up and sifted onto the candles, filling the room with a musky, earthy scent as they burned.

"This ritual will separate you from your," Here Mukuro sneered, "_mate_,forever, and leave you free for another to claim."

He glared up at her through his bangs as she released the manacles from the wall and guided him to the center of the circle. Like hell he was going to let that happen!

_(On your knees, you look up_

_Decide you've had enough)_

She began to chant and the circle glowed in time with the words, filling the room with an eerie crimson light. The scent of the burning herbs became overpowering and her voice grew louder and louder still.

_(You get mad, you get strong)_

Suddenly Hiei surged to his feet, sheer anger ridding him of his usual grace. He swung his arms in a furious arc, slamming his restrained fists into Mukuro's face. The chanting broke mid-syllable and gusts of wind whipped around the chamber disruptively. The candles fell and the circle was broken, the red light vanishing abruptly.

Mukuro stumbled away from him, half blinded, and he used the opportunity to snatch his katana from its resting place beside the remains of the bed. It was the work of a moment to demolish the manacles.

Youki surged into his system, revitalizing and repairing damage instantaneously. He grinned maliciously at the bitch still standing in the doorway of what had been his room in Alaric.

Tremors racked her body and fear glinted in her visible eye, but she shook it off and turned to flee. He was in front of her before she completed the movement. Light glinted on the sharpened blade of his katana and a scream echoed throughout the castle.

_(Wipe your hands, shake it off_

_And you stand)_

HieixKurama

It didn't take him long to procure the loyalty of the guards and staff; he'd spent years commanding the army and working as the bitch's vassal. That, and the fact that while he was a harsh commander, he didn't have people executed for his own amusement.

They quickly agreed to his proposal and swore fealty to him as their new Lord. Papers in hand, Hiei found the closest portal to Ningenkai and jumped in.

_(Life's like a novel_

_With the end ripped out)_

Hiei roused himself from his plans for the future when he realized that he was standing on a tree branch in front of his and Kurama's bedroom window.

A window that was shut and locked.

Through the gap in the curtains, Hiei could see that what was usually his side of the bed was the only side that looked slept in. Kurama's side was neat, nearly immaculate. A piece of Makai parchment was visible on the nightstand, his wedding ring atop it. And a box of pictures was sitting, almost despondently, on his pillow.

Clearly Kurama hadn't taken the lies very well. Not that Hiei had expected him to; eight years and two children wasn't something to be taken lightly. A single tear forged a glistening trail down his cheek and he swiped at it before a hiruseki could form.

_(The edge of a canyon_

_With only one way down)_

As he wasn't about to break his own window, Hiei hopped down from the tree. He stood on the front porch, one hand raised hesitantly above the doorbell. He caught himself and straightened his posture guiltily. What was wrong with him? It was time to get his family back.

With rigidly squared shoulders and a black expression, he strengthened his resolve and rang the bell.

The door swung slowly open on a small, mischievous face with big red eyes. Aiko's pointed features were overcome with shock, her mouth a humorous little "o" shape. Then she grinned enormously and tackled his knees with a joyous exclamation of "'Tou-san!"

_(Take what you're given)_

Light footsteps moved swiftly towards them and suddenly Kurama stood in the open doorway. His red hair was limp around his heart-shaped face and tears rolled down his cheeks, landing silently on the collar of his tee-shirt.

_(Before it's gone)_

Hiei took one look at him and opened his arms, smiling sorrowfully when his mate rushed into them with a strangled sob.

"Shh," he whispered in one pale ear, "I'm back. And I'm not leaving ever again." He stroked Kurama's long hair and used the other hand to hold his daughter close.

_(Start holding on; keep holding on…)_

"Never."

Owari.

A/N: There will be at least one more in this saga, so don't worry! I'm actually working on them now; no more procrastination for me! Read and review, please!


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